RF POWER AMPLIFIER & MICROWAVE DEVICE

5G has a mobile data transfer speed that is up to 100 times faster than 4G. The RF power amplifier is a key device in wireless base stations and RF power amplifier manufacturers will need a huge capacity increase to support the rapid deployment of 5G. This new network technology and infrastructure will bring the capacities needed to cope with this increased growth in the use of communication.

Currently, there are two mainstream technologies capable of achieving the high-frequency performance required for 5G, GaAs and silicon-based GaN. Traditionally RF power amplifiers used Gallium Arsenide (GaAs) technology which has good performance. Over the past few years, Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology is replacing GaAs because GaN is more efficient and has a higher power density. It is clear that the silicon-based GaN will play a leading role in high-frequency solutions in these size-constrained and high-performance applications. In the low-frequency domain, silicon-based GaN is competing with LDMOS, in which GaN can provide excellent performance at nearly the same cost structure in mass production. LDMOS will most likely continue to be used in lower cost and less critical UHF and VHF applications.